Golf-ball-marking device.



W. T. WEST. GOLF BALL MARKING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 18, 1913.

' 1,096,084. PatentedMay 12, 1914.

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ITED STATES FATE GOLF-BALL-MABKING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed. April 18, 1913. Serial No. 762,012.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. WEsT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Ball-Marking Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for marking objects of spherical shape and is more especially designed for marking golf or other playing balls.

It has among its objects the improvement of appliances of this character in numerous particulars as will be hereinafter set forth.

The present invention is an improvement upon the device shown in my former Patent No. 943,851, granted December 21st, 1909. In my said patent the type used was of the ordinary form having straight square shanks and such as is obtainable generally for printers use, and in order that the type might face in the proper direction, wedges were inserted between them spreading them apart at the base. This unnecessarily increased the number of separate pieces and introduced difliculties in the proper adjustment of the type. Furthermore, it was possible for anyone to readily obtain type containing different letters from the initials of the purchaser to whom the appliance was sold, so that it was possible, although with some difiiculty, to substitute different type for those which accompanied the device when sold.

According to one of the features of my present invention the use of extra wedges between the type is done away with, and special wedge shaped type are provided which are broader at the base than at the marking end so that these type may be placed together in the marker without the necessity of any extra wedges or other parts being provided. This not only results in simplifying the structure but, as type of this form are not generally obtainable and have to be made specially for my improved marker, it is possible to increase the sale of my improved marker to a very considerable extent as the user has to obtain a complete instrument in order to get the necessary set of type, and the type cannot readily be gotten out of adjustment as was possible when wedges were used.

According to my patent above referred to, the type and wedges were set in a recess open on one side and formed in a continuous frame which had to be made by casting and were held in place by screws directed against the type and clamping the type and wedges between them. It has been found in practice that these screws will work loose after a time, and the straight sided type will drop out, and when one type drops out all the other type and wedges are free likewise to fall out of place. By making use of wedge shaped type I am enabled to prevent the type dropping out of place as straight sided type may do, and the use of the fastening screws is dispensed with.

In my present invention the frame is not formed of a continuous casting but is discontinuous at one place, and is preferably formed by stamping, in which manner it can be more expeditiously made and more cheaply constructed, and instead of clamping the type together by screws bearing against the type, the type are inserted within a recess in the frame, and an exteriorcover or clamp is applied to the frame which incloses the end of the frame and also incloses the type on both sides, except at their marking ends, and holds the type in position by a wedging action exerted on the frame which will be hereinafter explained.

According to my former patent the recess for receiving the type was open at one side, and this opening was closed by a single side plate or cover. The formation of this recess for receiving the type and wedges presented a matter of considerable difiiculty because it was impossible without considerable trouble and expense to obtain the necessary sharp corners at the bottom and back of the recess.

According to my present invention the recess for containing the type extends entirely through the frame and the retaining cover closes the opening on both sides, instead of on only one side as formerly, and the difficulty of forming sharp corners for the type receiving recess is entirely eliminated, and the wedge shaped type are held securely in place and even if the parts should become more or less loose, the type will not come out unless the cover plate is taken off purposely.

lVith the foregoing and related objects in View my invention consists in the parts, improvcments and combinations hereinafter set out and claimed. Nhile 1 illustrate and describe a particular embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited thereto but is as broad as my claims, and that various changes may be made therein within the scope of my claims and without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the ac vantages of my invention.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, and in which-the same reference numerals are applied to the same parts throughout, Figure 1 is a side clevational view of a golf ball marker embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a central cross sectional view taken partly on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detailed cross sectional view taken on the line 33, Fig. 2.

Reference numeral 1 is applied to the frame of the marker which is substantially in the form of a stirrup and is provided with a threaded opening 2 for receiving the press screw 3 which is provided at the end where it projects from the frame with means for rotating it, such as the handles 4, 1 and the press screw 3 is also provided with a swiveled member 5 at its opposite end, concaved to conform to the exterior surface of a golf ball 6 of conventional size. The frame 1 is not continuous but has an opening therein at 7 at the end opposite the press screw 3 so that it is possible to press the side members 1 of the frame 1 somewhat more closely together or slightly farther apart by the application of force for either of these purposes. The side members 1 of the frame 1 are preferably made somewhat thinner at the end opposite the press screw 8, as shown at 8, the thickness of the frame 1 in this neighborhood being preferably about the same as the thickness of the type 9, and a shoulder 10 being preferably provided between the thinner portions 8 and the thicker main aortions of the frame 1. The portions 8 of tie frame 1 are cut out as shown at 11, 11, the opening formed thereby extending entirely through the portions 8, 8 of the frame and the notches or cut out spaces 11, 11 are rounded at the end of the marker opposite the screw 3 as shown at 12, 12, and. the two notches or cut out portions 11, 11 form together a recess for the reception of the type 9, 9, provision being made in the form shown for the reception of three of the type pieces 9. The sides 13 of the type 9 are parallel and the thickness of the type, as stated,

is substantially the same as that of the reduced portions 8 of the frame 1. The sides let, 14 of the type 9, however, diverge toward the base, thus making the type generally wedge shaped in form, and when these type are placed within the recessed portions 11, 11, of the frame, they substantially fill the space and the upper or marking surfaces 15 thereof are arranged in the arc of a circle to conform to the exterior surface of the ball. The curve on which the curved portions 12, 12 of the notches or recesses 11, 11 are formed is also substantially the arc of a circle the center of which is substantially at the point which will be occupied by the center of a golf ball when placed in the device, thus assuring the correct position of the type.

In assembling the parts of the device, the type 9, 9 having been placed within the recess 11, 11 provided for that purpose, the cap or cover 16 is slipped over the type 9 and reduced portions 8, 8 of the frame 1 and is secured in place by means of the screws 16 16*. The recess within the cap or cover plate 16 being formed somewhat wider near its open end 1'? than in the neighborhood of its opposite end or base 18, and the portions 8, 8 of the frame 1 being tapered somewhat, and clearance being provided between the cap or cover 16, and. the shoulders 10, it is possible by screwing up tightly on the screws 16*, 16 to secure the cap or cover 16 firmly in place, and the pull exerted by the screws creates a wedging action and the taper of the parts being comparatively slight, the two arms 1 1 of the frame 1 can be forced to gether with a considerable degree of force without the necessity of exerting undue pressure in screwing the screws 16 home. The provision of the opening 7 between the two arms 1 1, results in there being sufficient freedom of movement of these arms 1 1, to permit of their being held tightly against the outer edges of the type 9, 9 by the cover 16. The undercut in the frame 1 at the shoulder 10 being substantially the same as the thickness of the walls of the cap or cover 16, the outer walls of this cap or cover form substantially a continuation of the front and back face of the frame 1, thus contributing materially to the neat and pleasing appearance of the device and dispensing with a number of projecting corners and lessening the likelihood of the device tearing the pocket of the user or other receptacle in which it is carried.

The parts of the device having been. assembled in the manner described, in order to make use of it for marking balls, the device may be laid flat in the hand of the user and the golf ball 6 inserted between the marking i surfaces 15 of the type 9 and the press swivel 5, and with the ball in this position, the press screw 3 is rotated to press the ball (3 Cir firmly against the marking surfaces 15 of the type 9, the depth of the type marks made depending, of course, upon the force exerted in screwing up the press screw 3.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame continuous except at one point, type in said frame, a clamp applied to the frame to force the separated parts toward one another to hold the type in place with their printing faces adjacent to one another, and means in said frame for forcing an object to be marked against the face of said type, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame provided with a recess therein extending entirely through the frame, type received in said recess, means for inclosing the frame in the neighborhood of said recess and closing both sides 'of said recess, and means in said frame for forcing an object to be marked against the face of said type, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame provided with a recess therein extending entirely through the frame, said recess increasing in width toward its bottom, a plurality of wedge shaped type in said recess, means for closing both sides of the recess and holding the type in place, and means for forcing an object to be marked against the face of said type, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

l. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame continuous except at one point and provided with a recess therein at the point of discontinuity, type in said recess, means applied to said frame for forcing the separated parts toward one another and for holding said type in alinement with their printing faces adjacent to one another, and means in said frame for forcing an object to be marked against the face of said type, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame reduced in thickness at one end and continuous except at one point in the region of reduced thickness, type held between the sides of the frame and of the same thickness as the thinner part of the frame, means of substantially the same thickness as the thicker part of the frame for clamping the separated parts of the frame together, and means for pressing an object in said frame against the face of the type, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame of substantially stirrup form, a press screw therein, said frame being discontinuous at the end opposite the press screw, type received between the sides of the frame at the said end opposite the press screw, and means for clamping the sides of the frame together and holding the type in place, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame of substantially stirrup form, a press screw therein, said frame being discontinuous at the end opposite the press screw and being provided with a recess extending through the frame, type received in said recess, and means for clamping the separated parts of the frame together and covering both sides of the recess, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame the sides whereof may be moved toward and away from one another, and formed with a taper on the outer edges, type received between the sides of said frame, a cover for the type and tapered end of the frame, means for securing the cover in place and wedging the tapered sides of the frame together, and means in said frame for pressing an object to be marked against the face of the type,

substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. A ball maker comprising a frame provided with an opening extending entirely therethrough, type inserted therein at the ,opening and having their marking ends directed into the interior of the frame, and a cap inclosing the open portion of the frame and the type except at their marking ends, substantially as set forth.

10. A ball marker comprising a frame provided with an opening extending entirely therethrough, said frame being discontinuous at a point within said opening, type inserted in said opening, and a cap inclosing the open portion of the frame and the type except at their marking ends and serving to hold the sides of the frame together and the type in alinement, substantially as set forth.

11. A ball marker comprising a frame which has an opening at one point extending entirely therethrough forcing means in the frame acting toward the open end of the frame, type seated in the open end of the frame, the type having their marking surfaces projecting toward the forcing means, and a cap for holding the open ends of the frame against separation and preventing transverse movement of the type, substantially as set forth.

12. A ball marking device comprising an open-ended frame, the sides of said openended frame being provided with notches, a row of wedge-shaped type in said frame,

the outside types of the row being received specification in the presence of two subscrib- 111 said notches and imvmg thelr edges ahuting witnesses this 27th day of March, 1913. ting, and a cap einbraelng the end of the frame and the sides of the type for holding WILLIAM the same against relative movement, subitnesses: stantiaily as set forth. AUeUs'rUs C. STUDER J12,

In Witness whereof I have signed this GEORGE J. GANLEY.

fiopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

